Sunday, June 14, 2009

World Concern for Kidnapped Attorney Gao Zhisheng

With the increased pressure from people of justice around the world requiring the truth about kidnapped Christian attorney Gao Zhisheng, the Chinese government has been forced to respond. Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong recently issued the first official letter about Gao, in reply to a letter from Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman of Congressional-Executive Commission on China.

According to the Ambassador, Gao is "currently serving probation" and "the public security authority has not taken any mandatory action against him." Obviously, this is a misdirect of information as Gao was last seen being hauled away by Chinese security officials.

We are very concerned about Gao’s whereabouts and his condition. In the past, Gao has been repeatedly kidnapped and tortured by Chinese officials for his work defending house church Christians and others persecuted for their beliefs. There is no reason to believe that this has stopped now.

Prior to his first kidnapping, Gao told his wife that if he should be persecuted for speaking the truth, he believed that people of justice throughout the world would stand with him.

Our friends in Washington, DC, have strongly encouraged us to increase the pressure on the Chinese government, and we need your help. Please help us by flooding Chinese embassies around the world with phone calls on behalf of Gao Zhisheng’s wife and children to urge that the Chinese government immediately reveal Gao’s whereabouts and condition.